Combined extension-ladder, step-ladder, and scaffold.



11311000. COMBINED EXTENSION LADDER, STEP LADDER, AND SQAFFOLR, I APPLICATION FILED MARSH, 1908.

931,265, Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES:

g alw i,

P. BUGGO.

COMBINED EXTENSION LADDER, STEP LADDER, AND SGAFFOLD.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR. 12, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SEEET 2.

' 'INVENTOR @ao-Zo' Wfrfi ATT%NEY WITNESSES: I 21am WW P. BUGGO. COMBINED EXTENSION LADDER, STEP LADDER, AND SGAFFOLD.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 12, 190B.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

ATTOR EY rAoLo Bccco, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

COMBINED EXTENSION-LADDER, STEP-LADDER, AND SGAFFOLD.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

Application filed March 12, 1908. Serial No. 420,569.

To ea whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAOLO Buoco, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark,

in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Extension-Ladders, Step-Ladders, and scaffolds; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a ladder which is an extension ladder, but is also arranged to form a step-ladder, the two difierent positions being easily arranged from one to the other. I

The invention further consists in a hinging attachment which allows the ladders to be swung apart when they are at their. limit of movement toward each other, one of the hinging elements also acting to hold the extended section of the ladder, when the ladder is used as an extension ladder.

A further object of the invention is to make a ladder of this kind that can also be used as a scaffold, the height of the scaffold being adjustable.

Another improved feature of this invention is a wheel to be installed on the ladder,

which wheel is collapsible, but which can be put together so as to support the ladder at one end, when the ladder is folded, and in this way the ladder can be used as a barrow or truck, the wheel when collapsed and slid to one side interfering in no way with the other functions of the ladder.

A still further object of the invention is an improved latch to hold the ladder sections to ether in sliding engagement, the latch being locked against release except at a oint at the inward limit of movement 0 the ladder sections. Another improved feature of this device is its adaptability for using scaffolding or platforms having locking means for lockingthem in place, the platforms being collapsible and being arranged to lie flat down against the ladder, when the ladder is transported or when it is desired to temporarily scontinue the use of the platforms.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side View of the ladder as it appears when used as a step-ladder, and Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the ladder used as an extension ladder and with a platform in place thereon. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the platform'when folded up.

Fig. 4 is a face view of the ladder as an 1 extension ladder, and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the operation of a latch to hold the parts in sliding relation. Fig. 7 is a side view showing the ladder used as a scaffold. Fig-8 is a side view on a reduced scale showing the ladder used as a barrow or truck. Fi 9 is a reduced side view showing the lad or as used as a low scaffold. Fig. 10 is a detail showing the collapsible wheel in its folded;

position. Fig. 11 1s a side view of the wheel in its operative relation. Fi 12 is a face view of the wheel shown folded as it is in Fig. 10, and Fig. 13 is a section through the clamp for holding the two parts of the wheel against the ladder when they are folded.

The ladder consists of two ladder sections 10 and 11, and near the upper end of the ladder sections is a separable hinge, one hinge member being secured to each ladder section and the preferred form embraces a pair of hook plates 12 secured on each side of the ladder section 10 and near the to thereof and near the top of the ladder section 11-, on

eachside rail, are the eyes 13 having openings 1d for the entrance of the ends of the hook plates 12 which are bent at right angles to the plates themselves.,- It will be seen, from this description, that the ends of the hook lates that are turned to engage the eyes, orm the pintles of the hinges and are adapted to rotate in the eyes 13. The upper end 15 of the ladder section 11, is curved to make it concentric with the eye 13 so as to allow the swinging of theparts.

The ladder sections can be placed as in Fig. 1, that-is at an angle and can be used as a st'ep-ladden'each section being provided,

with the usual rungs 16. When the ladders are placed in line, that is folded together, the opening 14, in each eye 13, comes in line with the right-angled end of the hook lateits I can be used to operate the passing through the slot as shown in ,1 and 6, since the head ,19 is placed eccendee - Section 10 is provided with a slot 20 in which the head 19 of the latch is adapted toride. The head 19 can not turn when it is trically on its stem 17 and thus cannot turn to enable the ladder sections to be drawn apart. However when they are to be made into a step-ladder, or spread for any reason, I provide' the slot 20 with a depression 21 enough to enablethe head 19 of the late to be turned over, which brings the top of the latch underneath and level with the edge of the side rail of the ladder section 10, and the ladder sections can be drawn apart. It will be seen that they cannotbe assembled or drawn apart unless they are at the limit of movement toward each other, at which oint also it isonly possible to swing the adders apart in hinged relation, since that is the only point where the elements of the hinge are in swinging relation.

To secure the ladder in its extended position, I provide the top of the section 10 with a pawl 22 pivoted to the ladder section 10,

. and with its end 23 extending to engage recesses 24' placed at suitable intervals in the side rails of the ladder section 11. To raise thepawls 22 to allowthe ladder section 11 to descend, the ladder 11 is slightly raised and then the pawl is raised by means of a rod 25 which can slide in suitable staples 26, and 'hasits end 27 bent inward to engage and be sprung into the perforations 28 m the .side rail 10. This ralsing and lowerin means for the pawl is shown in Figs. 2 an 4, the. latter view showing one, but it is of course understood that one is installed on each side of the ladder. Any other means pawls 22 by the operator of the ladder, but this structure embodies an economical device. The ladder can be equipped with a platform or platforms which, if two ladders areused, can be connected-by planks to form scafir'olding at an height desired within the limits of the la der. The platforms are arranged to be slid on the ladder, and can be passed from one ladder section. to another from the bottom to the top thereof and a workman 'can precede the platform and fix it in place and then step thereon, which makes it more convenient and also uicker than if the platform had to be place in its position and it was then necessary to climb around the side ofthe ladder to mount on the platform- The platform I prefer to use com rises side rails 29 which have hinged thereto, braces 30 which are rigid Figs.

and are pivoted on the end opposite the rails v 29 to the brace 31 which is one of a pair of braces, the other one 32 being hinged at 33 to the brace 31, and at 34 to the inner end of the side rails 29. On the outside of each side rail 29 is secured a pin 35 shown in Fig. 3, and the brace 31 on the arm 30 on each side of the platform is hinged on the bar 36, and the bar 36 and the pins 35 are arranged to slide in the slots .37 and 38 in the ladder sections 11 and- 10 respectively, they being admitted to the slot from the front of the ladder by entering through the recess 39, shown near the bottom of Fig. 5. To secure a plat form in place at any particular rung, I pro:

vide each side rail with a bar 40 which fits in the side rail and has an end arranged to be projected to have its end fit over the rung next below it, the bar 40 being shown projected in Figs. 2 and 5, but being shown in tively, in which case they would be in mg 5.."

ister therewith, as shown in Fig. 3 where they are hid by the strips 41 and 42. In the position, shown iu-Fig. 3, the edge of the strip 43 in the groove 44 between the strip 46 and the top of the side rail 29, on each side of the platform, engages the hook 45 of the rod 40 and'for'ces it back, whereby the projecting end of the rods 40 are drawn into the side rails 29. When the platform is to be secured in place, it is elevated to its proper height, which can be done by the workman mounting the ladder and pulling the platform behind him, and when the braces are unfolded to extend the platform, the strip 43 can be slid into its place shown in Fig. 5 and then the strip 44, when shoved into place, will engage the back end of the hook 45 and push the projecting end of the bar 40 out in the path of the rungs 16, and the next lowest rung will engage the bar and hold/the platform in its place. These strips must be moved to Work the platform and they also make a good floor-for the platform, and the workman can move around with a certain degree of safety.

It will be observed that when the ladder is not extended the platform is slid down into the section 11, and the braces '31 and 32 can be folded in, they being of narrow metal, and they will then occupy the positions shown in Fig. 3, and the arms 30, folded in in line with the side rails 29 and the end stri s, will lie in flat against the rungs of the adder. Because the strips 43.and 44 are slid out of the way as in F g. 3, the folded platform offers no serious obstruction to the mountingof the ladder, since it gives plenty of room for the enlargement, of the rungs by the feet of the workman. A hinge strip 47 is mounted near the outer edge of the platform and can be laid flat and used as a part ofthe floor thereof, or can be elevated as shown in section 11, each recess having 1 Fig. 5 to prevent the losing of tools and so forth, being held in place by a pair of braces 48, one of which is secured to each side rail 29. This hinge strip 47 is also used when the ladder is employed as shown in Fig. 8, in

this case acting to hold articles on the structure, when it is used as a barrow or truck.

The laddercan be extended to any extent,

makes a handy low scaffold or table, and can be utilized as a work bench by laying some .planks or boards thereon, this application of the device being illustrated in Fig. 9, the hook plates 12 and the latch 17, in conjunction with its slot20, acting to 'hold the ladder sections in line. When a high scaffold is desired, the ladder sections are brought to their inward limit of movement, that is the limit of movement toward one another,

and the ladder sections are then swung apart as shown in F ig; 8, the ladder section 10 forming the top or staging of the scafli'old, and the ladder section 11 acting as asupport to one end. The other support consists of a pair of supports 49, each support fitting normally on the inside of the ladder section 10 as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, and being hinged on one end near the bottom thereof to a pin 50. The preferred form is to provide the end of each support 49 with a slot 51 to engagethe pin 50, and when the supportsare in their folded position they can be held by any suitable form of catch or hook or spring plate. To make the height of the'scaffold adjustable, I arrange to separate all the parts, that is the two ladder sections and the supports, and on one end of the ladder section 10 is a nose 52 which can enter any of the recesses 24 in the ladder a metal plate therein which has an upper p 53 to be engaged by the pawl 22 on each side of the ladder, each recess having a finger 54 arranged to receive the nose 52 as'shown in dotted outline in Fig. 8. Right-angled slots 55 in the' painter or carpenter, or who everis-using.

the ladder, wishes to take with him, I assemble the ladder as shown in Fig. 8, and to allow the traction I supply one of the secsection.

56. The wheel 56 is mounted on an axle 57 which rotates in the side rails of the ladder The wheel 56 is made in halves, when it is desired to make it so that it can be assembled out of the way, and when these halves are assembled they embrace the axle 57 which is slightly cut away on opposite sides as at 58 toprevent the side motion of the wheel, each wheel half or section having a recess 55) to receive the portion 58 of the The assembled wheel is shown in axle 57. Fig. 11, and the two halves are held together preferably by set screws 60.

When the ladder is not to be used as a truck or barrow, the set screws 60 are unfastened and the two wheel sections can be assembled side by side oneach side of the axle 57, a close fitting thereto being insured by the slots 61, one slot being cut in the adja-. cent sides of each of the wheel sections, and they thus fit against the axle as shown in Fig. 13, are preferably secured to one side of the ladder where they will not interfere, particularly, with the trend of the workman, as will be seen from Fig. 4. To hold the ladder sections in place, I rovide the axle 57 with a stud 62 on which slides a staple 63 normally pressed down by a spring 64. The staple has its ends 65 arranged to engage slots 66 on the opposite edges of the wheel sections, which prevents the wheel sections from moving along the axle 57, as will be seen from Figs. 10 nd 13.

If desired I may br ce the ladder against side slipping or tilting, and one of the means for doing this is shownin Fig. 4 where I show, on one side of the ladder, it of course being understood that this attachment is adapted for both sides, a late 67 having slots 68 therein which are a apted to receive a pin 69 on a brace 70. These slots allow the place of the pin 69 to be regulated, and the distance that the bottom of the brace 70 is from the ladder is thus determined. When the pin is in the to notch of the plate, the brace 7 0 is adaptec to be close up against the ladder and in line therewith.

' This-structure embodies a compact device to be put to a multiplicity of uses, and the combination of hinged ladder sections swingin to make a step-ladder with these same ladder, and its adaptability as a truck or means of. transportation is an advantage not possessed by ladders as now constructed.

lend considerable utility and novelty to the v Having thus described my invention, what I claim is r .1. A ladder comprising ladder sections adapted to extend, hinge elements on the ladder sections adapted to be placed in operative connection and act a stop when the ladder sections are at their limit of movement toward each other, and a latch for lockin the sections in parallel relation for their ll sliding relation, and means for unlocking the latch .only when the hinge elements are in engagement.

2. .A ladder comprising ladder sections having a hinge connection. and adapted to swin gin swing for 180 degrees in parallel-relation at both extremes, the hinge sections being separable only at each of the limits of the movement of the ladder sections.

3. A adder comprising ladder sections, one laddersection having hook plates projccting therefrom to-form pintles of a hinge,

- outer edge of its ladder section and having an openin in its periphery for the passage of its hoo plate, the openin in each eye being flush with the edge of t e ladder section. i

5. A ladder comprisin ladder sections adapted to slide one ont e other, a hinge having elementson the sections and adapted to be operative with each other when the.

ladder sections are slidtogether, a latch on one ladder section, the second ladder section having a slot for receiving the latch, and a head on the latch to fit the slot and fitting against turning, the slot having a depressed tions and -f0 ranged to slide one on t e other, the ladder sectionscomprising side rails and rungs, a platform adapted to slide on the ladder sec- (1 against the ladder sections when not in, use, a wheel on one end of the assembled ladder sections adapted to permit the use of the ladder as a barrow, the .wheel being adapted to be separated and having means for fastening the sections in line or in parallel. relation on a'run a hinged strip on the folded. platform, an means for look ing. the hingedstrip in an elevated position to act as a guard when the ladder is used as a barrow. I Y v 7. A ladder comprising ladder sections arranged to slide one on the other, a platform ada ted to slide in the ladder sections and 01 against the ladder sections when not in use, a wheel on one end of the assembled ladder sections adapted to permit the use of the wheel as a barrow, the wheel being made of two sections hinged in their relation to each other and adapted to be swung in arallel relation, a hinged stri on the 0 ded platform, and means for 100 ing the hinged strip in an elevated position to act as: a guard when the ladder is used as a barrow.

In testimony, that I claim the fore oing I have hereunto set myliand this 7th ay 0 March 1908.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAMPIELD, E. A. PE L,

PAOLO BUOCO. I 

